Remember the Matt LeBlanc era of Top Gear? This green Bentley Turbo R might jog your memory—it appeared back in 2019 for the fourth episode of Series 26. LeBlanc drove it on a race track at speed, among other places. And now, you can buy it.
To further refresh your memory, this is a 1988 Bentley Turbo R. Under the hood is the familiar 6.75-liter turbocharged V-8 that, back in the day, produced around 300 horsepower. Whether or not this particular Bentley has all its ponies is unknown, though we wouldn’t be surprised if a few were missing. Per the auction listing at Car & Classic it’s done 107,099 miles, with the last few rounds presumably in LeBlanc’s hands at Silverstone.
Photo by: Car & Classic
Photo by: Car & Classic
Photo by: Car & Classic
Given its Top Gear appearance, the Bentley is far from showroom condition. Even before being gutted for racing duty, it was slightly dinged in a no-hands drag race and spilled its coolant doing an urban driving challenge for the show. And since it was purchased as part of a cheap car challenge, it wasn’t exactly perfect to begin with.
The auction listing states the car is still in its race-prepped form, including the front splitter, rear diffuser, and gutted interior. Its condition is listed as “good overall” though you will find all kinds of scuffs in the green paint. There are dings and creases in the bodywork, some of the Bentley emblems are missing, and pretty much all of the interior is gone. On the mechanical side, it’s been lowered but remains largely stock per the listing. Amazingly, there are no reported warning lights on the dash.
The car has had 13 registered owners throughout its life and is currently for sale in Farnham, not terribly far from the old Top Gear test track at Dunsfold. It will be sold through auction which starts on March 14, but be advised: Car & Classic “cannot verify that the car remains road legal due to the modifications.” Imagine that.
It’s not every day a piece of Top Gear memorabilia comes up for sale, never mind a full car. Any guesses as to what the final bid price will be?
The Top Gear Era:
It’s Over: Clarkson, Hammond, and May End Their TV Partnership
Chris Harris Told BBC ‘Someone’s Going to Die’ Before Crash that Killed Top Gear
Source: Car & Classic via Silodrome